The 2021 playoffs in the Premier League would have looked like Eduardo Guerrero’s big breakthrough in Israeli football. The Panamanian carried the attack of Maccabi Tel Aviv in the top playoffs with five goals and three more assists in only 9 games, and at the age of 21 it seemed that he was ready to lead a big team in the Premier League and continue the streak of the foreigners who grew up in the youth of Maccabi Tel Aviv.
But expectations separately and reality separately. Instead of taking the opportunity under Patrick van Leeuwen, who accompanied him since his youth, Guerrero went backwards, and even the loan period at Hapoel Jerusalem failed to bring him back to business. He finished 21/22 with five goals and 3 assists in total, returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer and the retreat continued from there. Guerrero was not included in Vladimir Ivitch’s plans, and was loaned to Beitar Jerusalem. 12 games in total, five in the lineup and another seven as a substitute did not produce a goal or a goal and the club from the capital already wants to say goodbye.
There are quite a few reasons for the deterioration, some of which are Guerrero’s responsibility, but the Panamanian is also dealing with quite a bit personally. He has been in Israel without a family for the past few years, and this is apparently taking a toll on him. At the age of 22, he finds solace in pastimes, and one of them even cost him dearly. Exactly one year ago, Guerrero spent time at the BSH club until late the day before morning training in Kiryat Shalom. Maccabi Tel Aviv got over it, and instead of starting a league game against Ashdod, he was dismissed from the squad and in fact never returned to play for the yellow club.
He arrived at Beitar this season before the addition of Nicolescu and the formation of the Asperia-Shua-Nicolescu trio. “Guerrero didn’t acclimate, not professionally and at the beginning there were also some disciplinary problems, lateness and such. In the last months he is perfectly fine. Conducts itself as it should, but when there is a trio like this, it has no place. At the moment it’s not good enough, besides the fact that it’s a foreign player who costs quite a bit of money,” says an official at Beitar.
The club is also aware of Guerrero’s personal problems. “He needs much more attention than an ordinary young player. He is alone here, he has no family in Israel and he needs someone who will push him all the time and give his head when needed. If they treat him like another player, they will not be able to help him realize his potential. And we saw in Maccabi “What did he do? He should have been handled a little differently in Beitr.”
“I still think that after my time at Maccabi Tel Aviv, he did a good job,” he says of him Van Leeuwen to the Sport Channel, “I still think he is a quality player who needs special attention. Right now he is not getting it. Like many players, he is here alone, without family in Israel in recent years. Special attention should be given to such a player, which will hopefully lead to good performances in training and in games”.
“For me, we need to check what’s wrong in this matter, because the qualities in terms of football are not a question,” Van Leeuwen continues, “he has good technique, he has good and aggressive movement with and without the ball, he is a team player, he likes to work for the team and not Only for himself. You have to appreciate a player like this. He may have a decline now, but the full potential will be visible soon. I trust Eduardo’s physical and mental ability to correct this situation.”
His words about Van Leeuwen will fall on deaf ears in Beitar, who have already decided to part with Gerero. Right now they need a team to take him, because he will not return to Maccabi Tel Aviv. The hope is that teams like Rayna, Sakhnin, Hapoel Tel Aviv or KS will find a use for him by the end of the season. After that, it is not impossible that Maccabi Tel Aviv will try to sell him to teams abroad to give him a fresh start. Maybe closer to home.